Refilling valve mechanism for flush-tanks.



E. P. GAYLORD. REFILLING VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSH TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR; 2, I916- Patented May 21,1918.

52 "um J W w u" WW Z5 INVENTOR FATE l UFFf@E, i

EDWIN P. GAYLORID, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

REFILLING VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSH-TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21L, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN P. GAYLORD, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refilling Valve Mechanism forFlush-Tanks; and I repositioning them for proper operative redo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My invention relates generally to a valve mechanism and has more particular reference to the type of structure employed in conjunction with a refilling valve of a flush tank, where the position of the valve is dependent upon the level of water in the tank, with provision for automatically opening the valve when the tank becomes empty and for automatically closing the same when the tank is filled. The principal. object of my invention is to provide an arrangement that permits of readily replacing or repairlng the valve itself or other parts of the apparatus if any disarrangement occurs. Another object of my improvement is to afford a novel construction and arrangement of levers for controlling a valve whereby to 30' ment of the valve, and in thls manner securexert a maximum leverage in effecting moveing a positive operation and adding to the efficiency and practicability of the structure as a whole. In a more particular aspect, the invention has for its purpose to afford a series of valve controlling parts connected in such a manner with the valve as to permit the latter to be quickly removed Without requiring such a disorganization of the elements as to require any considerable time in lationship. To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1, is a sectional view of a flush tank showing the application of my improvements;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation, partly in section, of the valve and valve controlling mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 4:, is a, detail side view of the upper part of the support or standard which sup ports the float lever, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5- of Fi 1.

E iimilar reference characters throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

In the great majority of flush tank structures, a common difliculty that is exeprienced is due to wearing of the valve which controls the inlet supply, and to remove this for purposes of repairing or to replace a part, usually involves considerable work and requires often as much as half a day and sometimes more, and with the present disposition of the operating parts, I am able to obtain access to a valve in the course of a few seconds, making it possible to remove a valve that is worn out and replace it with a new one, restoring the parts to operating position, inside of a few minutes, all of which is accomplished through the arrangement of levers which are quickly removable to permit disorganizing the mechanism.

With this general understanding of the structure, 1' will proceed to describe more particularly the present disclosure which is intended to illustrate a possible embodiment of the invention that may also be successfully carried out in a large variety of ways without departing in any material sense from the primary objects to be attained. 1 is a tank having an inlet or supply pipe 2 and a discharge pipe 3 controlled by a valve 4:, while 5 is an overflow pipe, all as is a usual in this general class of apparatus.

opening through which the tank is filled when the valve is open. The outer end of the valve 7 is slotted or cut away at 10, the base of said slot being curved or inclined for a purpose that will presently appear more clear. Arranged for engagement with the valve is an operating lever 11 extending generally in an upward direction and pivoted at 12 at a point in close proximity to the valve 7. The control lever 11 is long as compared with the distance from its pivotal point to the valve, thereby exerting considerable leverage on the valve which it controls, and for which purpose said lever has an operating edge or portion that engages the aforementioned slot or cut away bearing surface.

I which may be inserted the pivot or bearing member 16 carried by the float lever now to be described. The said float lever includes .the comparatively long arm designated generally at 17 and carrying a float member 18. The arm last mentioned is slotted, affording an opening 19 within which the controlling lever is movable, the latter being straddled by the opposite walls of the opening 19. The floatmember also includes a comparatively short arm 20 which is connected to the control lever 11 aforesaid for moving the latter in accordance with the movements of the float member. It will be seen that the float lever which is pivotally mounted on the support 18 is quickly removable therefrom, and at the same time, serves effectually to carry out its purpose when positioned in the socket 14.

- The float lever is also connected to the controlling lever so as to permit readily operating these parts, and to this end, I preferably employ a connecting member that is removably associated with one of the levers. In the present embodiment this is in the form of a link 21 pivoted at 22 to the short arm 20 of the float lever. The opposite end of the link 21 carries a loop 23 which removably engages the socket 2a in the upper extremity of the controlling lever 11. By combining the float and controlling levers in the manner shown, with the proportions generally indicated in the present disclosure, it is possibleto secure a very positive and at the same time very sensitive movement of the valve and in case it is desirable to separate the parts, it is only necessary to remove the link 21 from the upper end of the controlling lever and thereafter remove the float lever from its support, moving it beyond the end of the controlling lever, which can then be dropped to a horizontal position out of alinement with the valve so that the later is free to be entirely removed from its housing.

In assembling the parts the valve is first positioned within the housing and the floatlever is engaged with the controlling lever by passing the lever through the opening 19.

The link 21 is then brought into operative relation with the controlling lever by pass- 7 1 ing the loop 23 into the socket 24, and then the parts are moved into position to permit the bearing 16 to be dropped into the socket the supply to said tank, a comparatively 14:. When the float member is in its lowermost position as indicated in Fig. 2, the valve is released and the pressure of the inflowing water is suflicient to open the valve until the float member rises. This causes an upward and inward movement of the controlling lever 11, forcing the valve 7 inwardly until the port 6 is entirely closed.

The features of the present structure which I deem of importance are the arrangement of levers by which a maximum levcrage is obtained with respect to the valve to be controlled, and further, the removability of the parts whereby the valve can be quickly taken from its housing, and it is intended to cover by this application any modified arrangements that may properly come within the scope of my improvement and the terms of the claims hereinafter.

I claim as my invention:-

1. The combination with a tank, ofa valve governing the supply to the tank, a comparativel long controlling lever operatively associatec with the valve and pivoted at a point in close proximity to the valve, a stationary support having a socket at its upper end, a float lever having a slotted portion within which the controlling lever moves, and a pivot or hearing member adapted to removably engage said socket, the float lever embodying a comparatively long arm carrying a fioat member and a comparatively short arm on the opposite side of its pivot, a connecting member pivoted to-sald short arm and provided with means adapted to removably ngage a socket in the outer end of said controlling lever.

2. The combination with a'tank,of a valve having a slotted end portion and governing long controlling lever pivoted at a point in close proximity to the valve and having an operating surface in engagement with said slotted portion of the valve, a stationary support having a socket at its upper end, a float lever having a slotted portion within which the controlling lever moves and a pivot-or hearing member adapted to removably engage said socket, the float lever em- :bodyinga comparatively long arm carrying 11 a float member and a comparatively short arm on the opposite side of its pivot, and a connecting member pivoted to said short arm and provided with means adapted to removably engage a socket in the outer end of said controlling lever.

3. The combination with a tank, of a valve governing the supply to the tank, a comparatively long controlling lever operatively associated with the Valve and pivoted at a point in closeproximity to the valve, a stationary support on the same side of the controlling lever as the valve, a fioat'lever havlng a slotted portion straddling said controlling lever and removably pivoted on said support, the float lever embodying a comparatively long arm carrying a float member and a comparatively short arm on the opposite side of its pivot, and a connecting member pivotally associated with said short arm of the float lever, and the outer extremity of the controlling lever, and removable from one of said parts which it connects.

4. The combination with a tank, of a valve governing the supply to the tank, a comparatively long controlling lever extending generally in an upward direction and opera tively associated with the valve, an upstanding stationary support, a float lever pivoted on said support embodying a comparatively long arm having a slotted portion straddling the controlling lever and a comparatively short arm on the opposite side of its pivot, and a link connecting said short arm with the outer end of said controlling lever.

5. The combination with a tank, of a valve governing the supply to the tank, a com paratively long controlling lever extending generally in an upward direction and operatively associated with the valve,

standing stationary support a float lever rean upmovably'pivoted on said support and embodying a comparatively long arm having a slotted portion straddling the controlling lever and a comparatively short arm on the opposite side of its pivot, and a link connecting said short arm with the outer end of said controllin leve and removable from one of the levers.

6. The combination with a tank, of a valve governing the supply to the tank, a comparatively long controlling lever extending generally in a vertical direction and operatively associated with the valve, a support extending upwardly above the valve and terminating below the top of the controlling lever, a float lever pivoted upon said sup port embodying a comparatively long float carrying arm on one side of the support and a comparatively short arm on the opposite side of said support and a link connecting the short arm of said float lever with said controlling lever at a point above the top of the support.

EDWIN P. GAYLORD. Witnesses:

H. E. STONEBRAKER, RussnLL B. GRIFFITH.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

